Improvement in mowing-machines



Tl Hl DODGE' 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

AMower.

Pamfml Nov. 15, 1859.:

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3 Shee'ts*Sheet 2. T. H. DODGE.

Mower.

No. 26,095. Paented Nov. 15, 1859.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

T. H. DODGE.

Mower.

No. 26,095. Patented Nov.l 15, 1859.

N. PErERS mwutmmpiw. washmgton. n t:A

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS H. DODGE, OF IVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MOWING-MACHINES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, T. H. DODGE, of the city and county of `flashington,in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in blowing-Machines;

land I do hereby declare that the following is a sufficiently full andexact description thereof to enable those skilled in the art to which myinvention belongs to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,forming a part of this specification.

Figure l is a plan view; Fig. 2, a side View; Fig. 3, a rear view, withinger-beam and cutting apparatus folded 'over in rear of the main frameto avoid obstructions in passing through gates or from field to tield 5Fig. 4, a rear View of the machine with ringer-bar and cutting apparatuselevated to pass through gates; Figs. 5 and 7, rear views, showing the{ingerbar and cutting apparatus raised in different positions to avoidobstructions in the path of the cutter; Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13,detached sections, showing the cutting apparatus, dividers, andtrack-clearer; and Fig. 14 represents a detached view of the driversrevolving seat, folding guard, and rein-holder. Fig. 15 is a sectionalview, showing the application of the caster-wheel N and the iiexible andadjustable spring draft-connection X, and Figs. 16 and 17 views ofdii'erent modes in which some parts of the devices may be used. Arepresents a rectangular frame supported on two wheels, D D. Thesewheels are represented ashavingone common shaft, c butthey may haveindependent shal'ts, together with any ofthe well-known forms andarrangements of gearing, although I prefer that shown in the patent ofE. Ball and John Buttle, assignees of E. Ball, dated December 1, 1857.The mode ot' gearing, however, forms no part of my present invention,and therefore is not shown, and will not be further described. To theinside ot' the main frame a long shoe, C, is attached by two hinges oryielding connections-fone in front ot' the heel of theinger-bar, theother in the rear. The front connection is shown as consisting of theparts e', e", and f, the hinge e' permitting ot' the rearend of shoe Crising und falling in a vertical plane, while the swivel e", being freeto turn in the piece f, (which is attached to thefront of the mainframe,)allows it to turn laterally, or in a line at right angles to theline ot' motion of' the machine. Any

other form of yielding connection, however, may be used which willproduce the same general result. The rear connection consists of acoupling-arm, a, hinged to the lower end of the hanger a', and to a pinorlbolt projecting from the rear end ofthe shoe O.

The machineis provided with two standards, H H, arranged in relation toeach other, the drivers seat, and main frame as fully shown in Figs. 1and 2. The rear standard, H', is provided with two sets of teeth orstops, h", one set on each side, while the front standard, H,sup portstwo levers, G G', to the front ends ot' which are attached chains or`flexible connections i i'. The connection t' is attached to the frontend of lever G, and passes down by the edge ot' the shoe C next themachine and under the lower side of the shoe, and is attached to theedge next to the standing grass or grain, while the connection fi isattached to the front end of G', and passes down by and under theopposite side of the shoe, and is connected to that side of the shoenext to the main frame. By this arrangement it will be seen that whenthe levers are operated singly a rolling motion is communicated to theshoe, and when both are operated at the same time the shoe is raised upwithout turning. rlhe levers can be made longer, as shown in dottedlines, Fig. 4, so as to give any required motion to the connections ii',holes being made in the levers, so as to permit ot' the connections yit" being attached at different distances from the l'ulcrum of thelevers. The rear ends of thelevers G G' pass one on each side of thestandard H', as shown in Fig. 1, and are connected just in front ot' thestandard H' by means of the chain or rope h', (see Fig.2,)twhich passesdown under a pulley, then iorward over and under the shaft e, thenbackand upin front of the drivers seat, where it is shown fastened tothe hinged folding guard F. (See Fig. 1v.) A separate chain or rope toeach lever can be used.

The machine is provided with a tongue, B, so constructed that when themachine is to be packed for transportation or for storage the tongue canbe folded under the frame, as shown in red lines,- Fig. 2. When themachine is to be used a case, B', is slipped over thejoint in thetongue, which makes it rigid.

A flexible draft-connection, b', is connected to the adj usting-piece bon the coupling-arm a,

and then passed forward and up through the rear end of the tongue B, sothat the draft of the cutting apparatus is through the couplingarm a andrear end of the shoe C, the team being hitched to the connection b' atd, Fig.1. The piece b can be moved on the arm a to change the draft. Ifpreferred, the flexible draft-connection may be so constructed that onlya certain amount of draft will be through the coupling-arm a. To effectthis the exible connection should be provided with a stop, a", near itsfrontend, (see Fig. 15,) a spring, b", a hook, b', while the piece bshould be provided with a series of holes, b"", and constituting whatlIcall the flexible draftadjustingspringconnect-ion77 X, and by the useof which, when the draft exceeds a certainamount, the spring will yieldand allow the stop to strike against the frontof the machine. In thisway thedraft on the coupling-arm can be varied at pleasure by simplymoving or adjusting the hook b in to a different hole in the piece b.The guidepiece d can be adjusted up or down, as may be desired.

Upon therear cross-timber of the main frame is a standard,f', whichsupports arevolving seat, E, to be used by the driver.

In mowing and reaping machines there isA great danger o f the driverbeing thrown from his seat onto the cutters, and more especially when arevolving seat is used. To guard against this I erect in front oftheseat a standard, F', to the top of which is hinged a guard, F, as seenat g g', the center ot' which is rounded out, so that when turned down,as seen in Fig. 1,the driver will be well supported both in front and athis sides, the curved portions g g affording lateral support. The centerof the folding guard F is slotted out and provided with a spring, h,(see Figs. 1 and 14,) the object of which is to provide a rein-hitch forthe driver. To use this device the driver pushes the spring to one sideand then puts the reins in, when the spring, retracting, holds them, andthus all danger of the reins getting under the horses7 feet orentangling in the gearing when the driver has occasion to get ott' themachine is obviated. It also sometimes happens that the driver hasoccasion to use both hands in raising up the cutting apparatusin heavygrass and grain, and in such cases the reins are always kept in a secureposition and within his reach by means of a rein-hitch, as abovedescribed. The driver can turn his body, in consequence of theseatEbeing pivoted, so as to face in any direction to adj ust the levers, thefinger-bar in rear of the seat, or for any other purpose. He can alsoget out of his seat by turning it halt'- way round, as seen at Fig. 14,or he can turn up the folding guard F, as seenin Figs. Zand 3. It willbe observed that the folding guard answers the purpose of a rein-hitchwhen turned up as well as down.

So much of the cutting apparatus as is nec- Y- essary to illustrate thefeatures claimed therein as new is shown in Figs.8 and 1l. A series ofspiral cutters are arranged on the linger-bar G. Two of them, K K', arerepresented in the drawings. These cutters work in caps k, open on eachside, the cutters bearing againstsmooth rolls L,which may also have caps7c, if preferred. The operation of the cutters is as follows: As themachine is drawn along, a rotary motion being communicated to thecutters in any desirable manner, (one way being shown in Fig. 12, wherethe cutters are shown provided with a bevel-gear which takes into one ona shaft running by the end of the cutter-shaft and at right anglesthereto,) they cut the grass and grain as they pass between the roll Land the cutters. When only a single roll is used between the cutters, asshown in Fig. 8, one cutter must be turned in one direction and theother in a reverse direction. The spiral knife need not go more thanonce round, nor even that, in order to cut the grain and grassperfectly, provided the speed be sufficient. Instead ot' a single rollL, two small rolls might be used, and so arranged as to actindependently of each other, having one common cap open at the sides. Inthe use of two rolls it would be best to support them in front and rear,the same as the cutters, and, if deemed necessary or desirable, theycould be turned by gearing or otherwise, the saine as the cutters. Onecutter might also be made to cut against another, and thus dispense withthe rolls.

As the machine passes along a portion of the standing grass or grainnext to the stubble is liable to be trailed down, and with a view ot'bringing it up into an upright position before it is cut, or into such aposition as to prevent its dragging over and around the heel of theiingenbeam after it is cut, l make the inner divider, 1, open on theside next to the cutters,

and provide it with a spiral, J', which projects from its side, (seeFig. 8,) so that as the machine is drawn along (a rapid motion beingcommunicated to the spiral J') the 'leaning stalks will be raised ordrawn up and back by the action of the spiral thereon. It `will beunderstood that the spiral must be turned in such a direction as thatanything between its coils will be drawn back toward the finger beam.The spiral may be operated .in any desirable manner, one mode of doingwhich is shown in Fig. 13, where a bevel-gear on the end of the spiralshaft is represented as taking into a similar gear on a shaft running atright angles to the shaft of the spiral. Asimilarspiral could be usedwith advantage in the divider I, while for reaping a series ot' themcould be arranged above the cutters, being sustained bydownward-projecting hollow arms from a frame above, as shown in Fig. 17,and thus obviate the use of a reel. By the use of a series ot' thesespirals in reaping-machines they would have a 'tendency to draw themachine forward as they worked into the standing grain.

In rear of the divider I is the track-clearer J. This track-clearer maybe of any desirable form, and is hinged to parallel cranksjj, whichreceive their support trom the projecting piece j'j. The object ot'hinging the track-clearer in j," i y this manner is to enable it to riseand fall at either end, or bodily, without tipping the cutters orfingers, and also to give it a forward and back motion as it is drawnalong over the ground, which is always lnore or less uneven. The cranksare so arranged that they cannot descend to a perpendicular position,and consequently any very great pressure against the bottom ot` thetrack-clearer will cause the cranks to rise,.and also to advanceforward, thus giving to the track-clearer a constantjumping forward andback motion, which helps to relieve it from any grass which may have atendency to lodge there.

Some of the different positions which the track-clearer can assume areshown in different colors in Fig. 9. In cutting heavy grass it requires'considerable weight to keep the track-clearer tirm in place; and toenable the driver to adjust the weight of the track-olea rer to suit thegrass to be eut I provide it with a box, M, Fig. 10, so that he canadjust the weight by putting in or taking out the weights in the box M.rlhe box Mis provided with a hinged cover, o. Stones, gravel, or earthcan be used as weights, or anything which happens to be convenient.

In some cases it maybe found both convenient and desirable to use themachine without the case B', and in which case I provide theprojectingpiece A with a caster-wheel, N.

(See Fig. 15.) 'When the machine is used in this condition the front ofthe tongue can fall or turn down without a'ecting the position ot' themain frame, and as the weight ot' the frame is allowed to preponderate alittle in rear of the axes of the supporting-wheels the casterwheelNsupports the rear end ofthe machine when the machine is not inoperation, while the draft; on the front of the frame, when themachineis in operation, tends to balance the inachine.

When the driver desires to raise the heel of the tinger-bar, as shown inred lines, Fig. 5, he depresses the rear end ot' lever Gr and the rearend of lever G to raise the outer end of the nger-bar, as shownin blacklines, same figure. When the entire bar is to be raised in a horizontalAposition, to avoid obstructions in the path of the cutters, as shown inFig. 7, both levers are to be depressed alike. (See Fig. 7.

When the finger-bar and cutting apparatus are to be raised to passthrough gates or by high stumps the heel of the finger-bar is firstraised by depressinglever G slightly, and then the outer end of theringer-bar raised up toward themachinebydepressingleverG. (SeeFig.4.)

VV hen the machine is to be moved from tield to field the linger-bar canbe folded over in rear of the main frame and allowed to rest on theprojecting piece A', as shown in Fig.3. It may be folded over by anattendant on the ground without the use of the levers G G.

To keep the finger-bar and shoe C steady, a chain, l, is provided, witha staple, o", and a hook, o', the staple o" being made fast in the topof the main frame, as shown in Fig. 1, so

A. By projecting the shoe C back, so as to fold the finger-bar andcutting' apparatus over in rear ot' the rnain frame, there is lessliabili ty of dropping cut stalks on the machine or into the gearing;nor is there any danger ot' getting the reins entangled in the cuttingapparatus during the operation ot' folding or unfolding whentheoperation is performed in the tield.

Another advantage resulting from niy ar-y rangement ot folding the tinger-bar consists in the facts that the driver can fold and unfold thesaine without leaving his seat. This may be done in several ways, twoot' which may he described thus: The driver may first, by means of thelevers, elevate the finger-bar into an upright position at the sideofthe frame, and then take hold otit and lav or fold it down on thepiece A', the seat E allowing him to turn his body around for thispurpose. Another way in which he could fold it would be by the use ot'the levers alone, as follows: By suddenly depressing the lever G afterthe linger-bar is raised into an elevated position at the side ot' theframe, as shown in Fig. 4, the finger-bar will be turned over toward theframe, and as soon as it passed the center 'of gravity it would descendby its own weight, while the driver, by the use ot' lever G, couldcontrol its descent until it rested on the piece A'. To unfold the barthe operation would be reversed.

It will he observed that, in whatever position the finger-bar may beheld by the levers Gr G- when the machine is in motion, the entire bar,or either end, can rise above the position in which it is held, toconform to any elevation ot' ground which may be higher than thatlportion ot' the nger-bar which passes over it.

rlhe stops h on the standard H are inclined downward, so as to permitthe levers G G to slip down when passed; but no amount of pressure cancause the levers to rise until they are first sprung out laterally fromunder the stops. The spring ot' the levers is suftlcient to keep theminl either stop,whether any strain is on the iiexible connections ornot. The levers are so arranged that the drivercan operate either orboth with one, or he can use both hands, as occasion may require, whileby means ofthe cord or chain h he can, by pressingit with his foot orpulling it with his hand, so as to cause friction on the shat'te or itsequivalent, combine the power ofthe team, together with the strength ofhis hands and feet, to raise the nger-bar and cutting apparatus.

The part of the shoe C where the chain or of e.

or the entire bar, substantially-as described,Y

for the purposes specified.

2. The combination of the cutting apparatus with themain frame andmechanism represented in Figs. 2 and 16, o r its equivalent, soconstructed and arranged that the driver can, without leaving his seaton the machine, fold up and unfold the finger-bar without taking hold otit with his hand, substantially as and for the purposes stated.

3. The combination and arrangement of the levers Gr G with the driversseat E and cord or chain hf, whereby the driver may, when nec essary,employ both his hands and his feet, together with the power ot' theteam, to raise the tinger-bar and cutting apparatus, substantially asset forth.

4. So combining mechanism with the machine as that the driver can employthe power lot' the team to assist to elevate the nger-bar and cuttingapparatus at pleasure Without changing the horizontal position of themain frame, substantially as described.

5. In a reaping and mowing machine, the folding guard F and rein-hitchh, in combination with the drivers seat, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

6. The flexible or adjustable draft-connection b' or X, to which theteam is attached, in

combination with the coupling-arm 0ll and shoe weight may be adjusted inthe manner and for y the purposes substantially as set forth.

THOS. H. DODGE.

Vitnesses:

JOHN Q. ADAMS. A. C. WIDDiCoMBE.

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